The Kitchen
by bonnythebunny
Summary: Sirius has been declared innocent following the events of PoA. He and Aimee have a talk regarding Sirius' mental state.


A/N: This story is a one-shot based on my Harry Potter Code series. You do not need to read those to understand this short story. In short, this story is placed in an alternate universe in which Sirius is declared innocent in POA. Harry also has a twin sister, Aimee, as well. The story takes place immediately after POA.

Sirius sat in the kitchen. He was thinking about their new house, the one he'd bought just recently and had moved in with Harry and Aimee a week ago, when they'd been let out of school. There were still boxes sitting next to the cupboard, stacked neatly in groups of four.

The clock read 3:42am.

Sirius sat at the kitchen table, a beer can in his hand. The lights were off and he sat in the darkness. He looked out the window at their front lawn. There was a pattering sound of bare feet. Aimee stood at the door in a nightgown. Her eyes shone with the little moonlight streaming in through the window.

"I'm going to get a glass of water," she announced, but she did not move.

"Please do," said Sirius, and Aimee pattered over to the boxes, opened the top one, took out a glass and filled it with water from the sink. She then came and sat down at the kitchen table with Sirius, watching him over the brim of her glass as she drank.

She was giving him a very intent stare. Sirius supposed she was sizing him up. He lamented having only met her a little less than a month ago. He didn't know this kid, not really. And now he lived with her, and would raise her and her brother. At least, the few years left of raising. It was suprising. It was how it had been meant to be after they'd been orphaned.

"You look like shit," Aimee said finally, with an air of having come to an important conclusion. Sirius exhaled sharply through his nose and smiled.

"Yes."

In response, she took Sirius' beer from his his hand and threw it in the garbage. He raised an eyebrow but did not object. Then she sat back down and watched him some more.

"You've got to start taking care of yourself."

"I take plenty good care of myself, thanks."

"No, you don't. Staying up until four in the morning, drinking-"

"I'll have a beer or two. I'm not an alcoholic." interrupted Sirius.

"You need to get proper sleep. You've had bags under your eyes the whole week we've been here. You need to eat properly, too-"

"I eat properly."

"And you need to start doing some exercise. Get out of the house for a bit."

Sirius leaned back in his chair and drummed his fingers on the table. What she said was true, but he wasn't going to give her the satisfaction of admitting it aloud. He was getting irritated with her tirade. He wanted his beer back but he felt it inappropiate to get a new one.

Aimee cocked her head to the side and continued her assesment. She drew her knees up and sat Indian style on her chair. "You need a haircut. And a shave."

"Yes, I'm aware of that, thanks."

"You need to take care of yourself, Sirius. How can you take care of two kids if you can't take care of yourself?"

Sirius contemplated Aimee. She was a quiet kid. Reserved. Probably the type that would start talking more once she got to know a person.

"Will you let us cut your hair tomorrow?" asked Aimee.

"What, you and Harry?"

"Yes. We were discussing it earlier today."

"Were you, now?" Sirius smiled.

"Yes. It's going to have to go."

Sirius exhaled sharply through his nose again. "Alright."

Aimee put her chin in her hand and pursed her lips. "Harry and I've got a few pictures in an album that Hagrid gave us. You're in some of them. You were very handsome."

"Oh? Am I not handsome now?" Sirius grinned and tipped his chin as if posing for a picture. Aimee didn't find it amusing.

"No. Not when you look the part of the escaped criminal from jail, you don't."

"But I am an escaped criminal from jail."

"You're not anymore. You've been declared innocent, remember?"

Such a serious little girl, Sirius mused. "Yes, I do remember."

Aimee didn't answer. She continued to look at him, so Sirius continued; "I expect I'll be an ugly criminal forever."

"No, you won't. You just need to clean up. You could be handsome again."

"Do you really think so, Aimee? Is there hope for me after all?"

"Yes. And maybe we could get you a girlfriend." She said it so solemnly that Sirius burst into bark-like laughter.

"Oh, Aimee. I think we should settle in properly before we consider a girlfriend. Have you got any other plans for me?"

"A job."

Sirius took a drink from Aimee's glass of water without asking her. "Yes, I expect I'll have to get one of those soon, I think. What will I entretain myself with once you children have gone back to school?

"You'll be by yourself for the whole school year."

Sirius smiled a tight smile. "So I will be."

"Will you be alright with us gone?"

He had not expected this question. It was a very condescending question.

"Come on, Aims. Don't worry your lovely head. So I will be." It was the first time he had called her Aims. She didn't object to it. Aimee had such big eyes, shadowed by lots of eyelashes, and almond-shaped, like her mother. She did not blink a lot, did she, Sirius concluded.

"Will you be?"

"Yeah. Sure." He smiled reassuringly at her. Her solemnity uneased him. She continued to stare at him for a few moments, and Sirius stared back without knowing what to say. Finally she got up.

"Alright. I'm going back to bed. Good night, Sirius. Get some sleep," And, without warning, she leaned over and kissed him on the cheek.

It was an unprecedented gesture and Sirius had to smile. Sweet kid, thought Sirius. He would get along just fine with these children.


End file.
